The Price My Son Pays
by merwholock4ever
Summary: Hiccup and Toothless are left with a gaping hole in their heart and soul after the events with Drago. They need three words spoken by one specific person to help them heal but that will never come... or will it? A mysterious letter finds it way into Hiccup's hands but will it help them begin to heal?


Ok, so I had major feels when I first watched HTTYD 2 a year ago. I wrote this back then. So why am I posting it now? Well, I recently rewatched the movie and those feels came back full swing. I remembered I wrote this a decided to edit this for publishing.

Now, this has some magical/superstition elements in it. Seeing the future type thing so... yeah. I think it works though.

I cried writing this so hopefully it'll bring you to tears too. Bring the tissues and ENJOY! :'{

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Hiccup slowly walked back to his house near the top of the hill. The damages done by Drago Bludvist to the village of Berk was no more but the scars still remained evident. Everyday, Hiccup walked past new houses, new people, and new dragons as a reminder of what had transpired only a few weeks earlier. Hiccup kept his feelings to himself and tried not to let them show. With him being the chief of Berk, he couldn't show weakness. Oh, but how he wanted to. Seeing these new houses and new dragons not only reminded him of Drago but also what he did to Berk. More importantly to his best friend Toothless and his father, Stoick the Vast.

He was almost to his house when he realized that Toothless was no longer behind him. He looked around and walked to where he knew Toothless would be. Hiccup walked towards the Great Hall and found Toothless sitting in front of the great statue of his father. Toothless cooed sadly and hung his head. If dragons could cry, Toothless would have bawled his eyes out but he had to stick with just crying out with his voice. Hiccup didn't blame Toothless for what happened. He completely forgave his best friend but no matter how many times Hiccup told him, Toothless still felt guilty and hated himself for hurting his best friend and his father.

Hiccup just stood there for a second letting Toothless morn and so did Hiccup. The statue was a very big reminder to Hiccup to what had happened. In a way, the statue was a blessing and a curse. It was a curse because Hiccup was reminded of how his stubbornness and determination almost got him killed, made his friend go through a horrible experience, and got his father killed. However, it was also a blessing because to Hiccup it felt as if his father was still looking out for him and watching over the village. The statue had mixed feeling for everyone but none more than Hiccup and Toothless.

Hiccup walked up to Toothless and gently placed a hand on his head. Toothless was startled for a second but relaxed when he saw who it was.

"It's alright Toothless," Hiccup reassured. "It's just me." Toothless crooned at the statue and then back at Hiccup with large sad eyes which he quickly turned away in shame. Hiccup pulled Toothless' head back towards him and looked at him sincerely. "It wasn't you're fault bud. He made you do it. I have completely and totally forgiven you because it wasn't your fault. You are my best friend and will always be."

Toothless smiled weakly and gave Hiccup and thankful lick on the face. "Come one. Let's go home."

Toothless and Hiccup slowly walked home with heavy hearts. Hiccup knew he'd have to tell Toothless every day that he forgave him because Toothless didn't forgive himself and probably never would. Toothless knew that Hiccup was being sincere but never would he be able to forgive himself for hurting Hiccup as badly as he had done. Deep within, both knew what they really needed to start to heal properly. However, they knew they would never receive it: Stoick's forgiveness.

Hiccup and Toothless entered the empty house. The last time they felt this empty was when Dagur had kidnapped Stoick and held him for ransom but this was different. This feeling was permanent for the two. They knew Stoick would be back when Dagur took him but this time Valhalla took him and there was no coming back from that.

Toothless lit the fire pit with a simple blast and sadly curled up to try and calm his mind. Hiccup began to walk up the stairs to his room when something on the table caught his eye. He walked to the table curiously and picked up the letter.

 _That's strange._ Hiccup thought. The letter was at least a few months old and had the Berk seal on it. But that wasn't what confused Hiccup. What confused him was the handwriting. _It's definitely dad's but how?_

Hiccup slowly opened it, trying not to ruin the paper. Inside was a very long hand written letter addressed to him. Hiccup began to read with curiosity.

 _To Hiccup. My Son._

 _I've never done something like this before so bare with me._

Hiccup smiled at his father's uncertainty at writing a letter to him. It definitely wasn't something his father would do.

 _I would have told you this in person but you and Toothless were off on one of you little adventures. However, even if you were here, I probably still would have written the letter. You know as well as I do that confessing my feelings isn't my strong point._

Hiccup nodded in agreement. _It only takes major events to get you to admit them._

 _Anyway. Firstly, you're probably thinking why am I even writing this letter? Good question because in all honesty, I really don't know. I just had this sudden need to write this to you. I guess it has something to do with the dream I had tonight. I should probably mention that it's still the middle of the night. Anyway, this dream seemed so real. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that it was a glimpse of the future. Because of that dream, I was inspired to write this because if this dream ends up being real, then I won't be around to tell you and Toothless myself._

Hiccup raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Hey bud," Hiccup called. Toothless raised his head and looked at Hiccup in curiosity. "It's a letter from dad. He mentions you in it." Toothless got up and walked over to Hiccup in curiosity. Hiccup sat down as Toothless read over his shoulder. Unbeknownst to Hiccup, Toothless could read Viking runes.

 _This dream pointed something out to me. A realization about our relationship and to be honest, I don't like how it works. It seems that no matter what I do, who I meet, or what I say, you, my son, will always pay the price._

Hiccup scowled a bit. _I don't understand._

 _I'm sure you're probably confused at this point so let me explain. I guess the first example is when you were only a babe. Looking back, I see now how much you are like your mother. Just like you, she would not kill dragons. She believed that peace was possible but no one listened or tried her way. Especially me. Because of my closed mindedness, she was taken from us and you had to pay the price of growing up without a mother._

 _After that, I really didn't know how to raise you. Because you were so much like your mother, you were different from traditional Vikings which made it hard for me to raise you. I only knew how my father raised me and didn't know how to deal with you. I figured that if I raised you like every other Viking boy, you would turn out to be like them. I was wrong but didn't see it in time. Even though I saw you weren't turning out the way I hoped, I continued to raise you the way I thought was right not seeing that it was doing more damage than good. I didn't understand you and we always seemed to be on edge. Once again, you paid the price for my lack of parenting skills._

"No dad," Hiccup whispered. "We both did. Besides, it wasn't you're fault and you tried. That's all any kid can ask.

 _Then there was my duty to the village. After your mother was killed, I unknowingly drowned myself in the village trying to soften the pain but it never got better. At the same time, I started to neglect you and we drifted apart. I did notice this and tried to get back into your life but old habits are hard to break. I did eventually hear all of the rumors and name calling you received from the village. Stoick's Little Embarrassment. You're anything but that Hiccup. Hiccup the Useless. Even before the dragons, I saw how resourceful and talented you 's why I continued to raise you to one day to be chief. The Talking Fishbone. That's one's a bit true as you are a lot smaller than most Vikings but that still never stopped you and it never stopped me in believing that you'll make a great man one day. I would have defended you but I didn't know how without seeming like I was favoring you over the village. Just know I never believed a word of those rumors and names. Again, because of my duty to the village, you paid the price for my neglect and fear of playing favorites._

 _I've always grown up believing that dragons were evil, vicious, beasts that didn't have a heart. It was the same belief that we Vikings have had for several centuries and I was no different. You may not believe this but when I was much younger, I had an open mind and may have been able to change my views on dragons more quickly. However, that changed after your mother was taken by them and all I saw was you're mother being taken away every time I saw a dragon. I didn't want to hear that dragons are good, misunderstood creatures. I didn't want to believe it because I lost my beloved to one of them. However, after seeing Toothless risk his life for you in the Kill Ring and to catch you when you fell during the Battle of the Red Death, I saw what you were talking about. I saw the love, caring, protectiveness, loyalty, and kindness you tried to tell me. Because of my closed mindedness, you had to go to great lengths to prove to me that you were right and I was wrong._

 _That leads me to my next example. The hardest one for me because every time I see you, I see the price you had to pay. Even Toothless had to pay. You were bombarded with the notion that to be anything in Berk, you had to kill a dragon so you decided to go after the Night Fury. When you shot him down, you took his ability to fly away because I put into your mind that I'd be proud of you if you did. I'm sorry Toothless for my indirect and direct involvement on your entrapment._

Toothless cooed in understanding but also in happiness. _If Hiccup didn't shoot me down, I would never have met my best friend and we all would still be at war._

 _Hiccup, you paid a great price as well. I was angry when I saw what you were doing, well, what you weren't doing and I said some things that I shouldn't have. I never wanted to disown you. You are my son and my last link to your mother. Losing you would be losing the last bit of my world and my last bit of her. I know we forgave each other years ago but just thinking about it makes my stomach turn in disgust. So again, I'm sorry. But more importantly, I'm proud to call you my son._

Hiccup smiled again reading those words. All he ever wanted was his father to be proud of him and to hear or read those words always made his heart soar.

 _But it doesn't end there Hiccup. Because of my closed mindedness, my stubbornness, and my hatred, I refused to listen to you and took my people to destroy the nest. The moment the Red Death came out, I knew that I should have listened to you. You were trying to save Berk, to save me, to save the people but I was too determined to get rid of the dragons to listen. I was relieved when the Red Death didn't kill Gobber and me but I was put into a state of panic when you and the other teens decided to take it on. I was even more panicked when it just ended up being you. I've never felt so scared in my life when I saw you falling into that fireball. I was so scarred that I was completely overjoyed to see that you were alive but that was quickly quelled when Gobber spoke about most of you being saved. At that moment, I saw the price you had to pay for my, Gobber's, and the village's closed mindedness. I never thought that you would lose a limb at such a young age. Every time I heard your prosthetic clank on the floor, I was reminded of the price you paid and I'm so sorry._

Hiccup and Toothless looked at the prosthetic in surprise. They had no idea that every time he walked it gave him a horrible reminder.

 _Those are examples that are fact up to this point. The rest are things I saw in my dream tonight. I guess I should start with my eagerness to make you chief._

Hiccup sighed and groaned in annoyance. He was already chief. Could he never get away from it?

 _I always knew that you'd make a great leader someday and my belief was only solidified when I see how well you run the Dragon Academy. You are a natural my boy. In my dream, I knew you were ready, at least lesson-wise, and I was ready to make you chief. I didn't think that maybe you had reservations about it. Well, I did but I just thought that maybe you were being stubborn like all Vikings. I didn't know that you were afraid to be chief. In my dream, you said that you were afraid to be me because you thought you never could. That I was great, brave, and selfless._

Hiccup raised his eyebrows in surprise. _That was exactly why._

 _Let me tell you something._

 _You are great Hiccup. The moment everyone saw what you were really capable of, we knew you'd be great. You have great ideas on how to improve the village. You have great ways of making peace with tribes that have been our enemies for years. Alvin and the Outcasts are a great example! You have a great knack of connecting with people that make them feel comfortable and safe. That is a great attribute when dealing with peace treaties. It seems that I only intimidate but you take a softer approach and that in itself is great._

 _You are brave Hiccup. You decided to go looking for the Night Fury on your own. You decided to show mercy and let Toothless go, knowing he could easily kill you. You decided to study him to understand dragons better. You decided to confront him and eventually befriend Toothless. You decided to make him fly and ride on his back. You decided to try and show all of Berk your discovery knowing it would land you in deep water. You decided to save all of us despite what we did to you. All of that took bravery Hiccup. No coward could do that. You took every insult that the village threw at you and seemed to ignore it. You were willing to give yourself up to protect everyone else. You defied Alvin's orders to train his dragons even under the threat of execution. You were willing to risk everything to protect the dragons and the people of Berk over and over again. All of that took bravery Hiccup. Don't ever think you don't have any because you have plenty to spare._

 _You are selfless Hiccup. Sometimes selfless, bravery, and stupidity go hand in hand because let's be honest, you have done some stupid things that were brave and selfless. Despite you suddenly rising in Dragon Training and becoming popular, you remained humble to everyone. Despite you losing everything, thanks to me, you pushed that aside and came to our rescue. Despite the constant snickering, insults, and bullying of the village, you cast that aside and came to their rescue. All of that was selfless Hiccup. I even saw what you did during Thawfest, the first one with the dragons. I saw you threw the race for Snotlout. You are always thinking of others Hiccup and that is why you're selfless. Even more than me._

 _Don't be afraid of being chief because you're afraid to live up to me. I believe you will be greater than me in every way possible._

Hiccup smiled warmly at the letter. He has no idea his father thought he was all of that. Hiccup didn't even see those acts as being brave, selfless, or great. They were just the right thing to do.

 _With that being said, let's go back to my dream. In my dream, you end up coming across a man named Dragon Bludvist._

Hiccup gasped in shock while his insides bubbled with anger and fear. Toothless, on the other hand growled viciously in anger, hatred, and fear.

"It's ok bud," Hiccup said.

 _A man without conscious or mercy. In my dream, he is creating a dragon army, determined to take over the known world. This man, I don't even know how to write about him. I remember him back when you were only a babe. It wasn't long after your mother was taken when he came to us and wanted us to bow to him in exchange for him dealing with the dragons. We shouldn't have laughed at him because he brought his armored dragons upon us to kill us. I was the only one to escape but I never thought that he'd end up back in my life. Or yours. I never thought in my entire life that this monster would ever enter into your life. This man just seemed to bring pain and suffering wherever he went._

 _True, he was always black hearted but I didn't help your situation with him. When he found out that you were a Dragon Rider and that you are my son, it seemed that he had a personal vendetta against you. He didn't like anyone who was a Dragon Rider and challenged him in controlling the dragons. I know you don't call it controlling but you know what I mean. On top of that, he probably hated you because you are my son. I was one of the chiefs who defied him and therefore probably thought that you would defy him too. I don't know if he went after the other chiefs' heirs or not but I wouldn't put it past him. His theory came true when you tried to convince him to change his way but you didn't know any better._

Hiccup thought about it and wondered if the other tribes lost their heirs suddenly. It's something he'd have to find out.

 _Hiccup. If this vision is real, then you must be blaming yourself for my death. Please, stop. I know that you're upset and guilty but it wasn't you're fault. You never met someone that you couldn't convince. Even the toughest of people who had their mind set, like me, you ended up changing their minds. You thought Drago was no different and you tried. I think you believed that if you failed, then war would be coming anyways but if your way worked then no blood would be spilt. It's a great thought Hiccup and you proved it right several times. And you're right. War would still come. But you didn't know that he would take control of Toothless. You didn't know that he had an Alpha dragon. You didn't know what he was capable of._

 _You're probably thinking that if you listened to me and stayed on Berk then my death and the death of the Alpha would have been avoided but I don't think that's true. Because you didn't listen to me, in my dream, you found your mother. Yes, in my dream, she's alive. How? I don't know but she's alive and I got to meet her one more time. If it weren't for you disobeying me, then we wouldn't have been a family again, even if it was for a short while. That's another price you paid son. You were given happiness and it was ripped away from you by Drago because he was intent on destroying you. The hope of a complete family was taken from you in an instant. What Drago did to Toothless was another price you had to pay because of his vendetta against the Haddocks._

 _Toothless. I never thought that I'd have great feelings for a dragon. Especially the Night Fury. You have been the friend Hiccup always needed. You gave him the love he always wanted when no one else would give it to him. You were always there to protect and defend him when no one else would. You were always by his side and never faltered in your loyalty. You never hurt either one of us and did everything in your power to protect not only Hiccup or myself but also the village. For this I am and will always be grateful to you._

 _You don't know how badly my heart broke when Drago took control of you. You fought it so hard but the Alpha eventually got you and I was saddened. The last time I had seen you that vulnerable was when I chained you up on the ship on the way to the nest, an event I am very sorry about. But when he made you attack Hiccup, I knew I had to do something. You would never harm Hiccup and you would never harm me. I know that but you weren't in control. You were a puppet. I jumped in the way because of many reasons._

 _One being that I will always protect Hiccup and if that means with my life, so be it. If I could change anything, I wouldn't because I will repeatedly give my life to protect Hiccup. My other reason being that I knew you couldn't see what you were doing. Drago would eventually release you and you would have seen what you have done. I know how close you and Hiccup are and figured that if you came back and found that you were responsible for Hiccup's death, you would never forgive yourself and might even give up on life all together. I jumped in the way to save you that pain. My heart broke even more when I saw how heartbroken you were when you realized what you did. Hiccup, please forgive Toothless for what happened because it wasn't his fault and you know it._

 _I know killing either one of us isn't something you're liking but it happened, or will happen. If it does, just know that I completely and fully forgive you Toothless. At that point in Hiccup's life, he'll need you more that I will and vice versa. I know you will probably won't forgive yourself, both of you, but just know that I completely forgive both of you with all my heart._

 _I hope the two of you will have great adventures and protect Berk the way you have been for the past couple years. Hiccup, never stop being yourself. You are kind, loving, caring, open minded, loyal, brave, strong, intelligent, innovative, funny, understanding, creative, talented, and so much more. You will be a great chief someday but an even greater man. Toothless, don't ever stop being yourself either. You are intelligent, loyal, funny, protective, understanding, comforting, loving, caring, kind, brave, strong, and more than I have probably seen. You two are great for each other. I have never seen friends like the two of you. Sometimes, I don't see friends, I see brothers._

 _You two have been through a lot of turmoil and pain but you have also received some great rewards. You have me, Astrid, Gobber, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug, Barf, Belch, Thornado, when he comes to visit, Skullcrusher, Grump, the village, and, if my dream is true, you will have you mother, Valka, her dragon Cloudjumper, and a new ally named Eret. You are all a family now. I will always be a part of it. I will always look out for you as I have always done, even if you can't see me._

 _The dream is beginning to fade from my memory. I probably won't remember it in the morning. Once I seal this letter, I will be giving it to Gobber to give to you when the time is right. If this is the gods intervening, I thank them wholeheartedly for this chance to talk to you one last time._

 _I love you both with all my heart Hiccup and Toothless. Just remember, I also completely forgive you both. It wasn't all your fault what happened in my dream or in the past. All I hope is that you can also forgive me for my actions and the prices you had to pay._

 _You're loving father and friend,_

 _Stoick The Vast._

Hiccup folded the letter slowly. He didn't know what to think. How could this letter exist? Maybe the gods took pity on them and allowed this small gift of closure. Whatever it was, Hiccup broke down.

Hiccup lunged at Toothless, hugging him tightly. He cried for what seemed forever into Toothless' scales. Toothless could feel his friend trembling from the force of his sobs.

Toothless' heart was also overflowing with emotion. He wanted to release it too. He wrapped himself around Hiccup and cooed softly into his back. The two remained in this position all night, eventually falling into a sound sleep, the first in several weeks.

The two began to heal that night for the one thing they needed had happened.

Stoick forgave them.


End file.
